All I Needed
by storeytime14
Summary: Archie and Finn have a conversation before he moves to Leeds! Enjoy! :)


With the scenes from last night playing painfully loud in his head, Archie made his way to Finn's house to see if he was really serious about moving to Leeds. When he reached the top of the hill that Finn's house sat on, Archie could see him was putting the last of his belongings in the trunk of his car. Guess he was serious.

"Hiya, Arch," Finn said without looking up from delicately placing his record collection in the trunk.

"Alright?"

"Yeah, mate. You?"

"Well, you know my best mate is about to move two hours away, but other than, just peachy."

Finn smiled at his friend.

"When ya leaving?"

"Thinkin' I'll probably head out in the morning. Hang out with my dad tonight and then get a good night's sleep. How was last night then? Sorry I couldn't make it, was a bit preoccupied." Finn asked, double checking he had everything he needed.

"S'alright. I told Simmy to fuck off. So, there's that." Finn looked up from the trunk to grin at Archie with so much pride in his eyes that Archie couldn't help but laugh. He didn't feel it necessary to mention the part about Chop, he didn't need Finn leaving town being angry with him.

"Good one, Archer!" Finn bellowed, patting him on the shoulder. "Look, I'm sorry to be leaving you like this. I know things haven't been easy for you since… Ya know."

"Yeah, it's fine. I understand you need to do this. Besides, I still have Rae." Archie regretted it as soon as the words hit his lips.

"Yeah, well at least one of us does."

"Oh, Finn. I didn't mean it…" Finn cut him off with a shake of his head.

"S'nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Did you talk to her last night?"

"Yeah, I talked to her."

"And?"

"And well I'm movin' to Leeds, aren't I?"

"What did she say?"

Finn closed the trunk lid harder than he meant to with his anger, making Archie jump a little.

"That's the thing! She didn't say anything! She never says anything. Most of the time you can't get her to shut up but when it comes to the hard stuff she just closes me out, all the time. I try to talk her about what I'm feelin' and sure it doesn't come out the way I want it to half the time, but at least I try. With her, she just doesn't say anything but, 'sorry, mate, got somewhere to be at 7. Can we chat about this later,' like my feelings don't fuckin' matter. So what if we're not goin' out anymore, we're still friends, ain't we?"

Archie knew Finn well enough to know not to open his mouth just yet, his rant wasn't nearly over.

"Yeah, she broke up with me two months ago, and I understand she's moved on and just wants to be friends, but when I asked her if I had any reason to stay, she said nothing! Nothing! How, even as my friend, could she not say that she'd miss me, mate? That's all I needed to hear. All I needed…"

With that, Finn slumped against the boot of the car, defeated. This is where Archie hated being both of their best friends the most. He knew damn well that Rae would be devastated without Finn here. He knew her feelings for Finn were far from diminished. It's so obviously written across her face but, like Finn said, she can't communicate her feelings. She puts up this ridiculous façade that she thinks no one can see through. Well, guess again Ms. Earl, Uncle Archie sees right through all your bullshit.

She never said anything to him about why she broke up with Finn, but Archie knew why. She just didn't understand why Finn was with her, which was total bollocks because there are a thousand and one brilliant reasons why Finn cares so strongly for her.

And Finn, he was his best mate and he was really going to miss him, but he knew that it was eating him alive to be around Rae, with her almost disregard of his feelings it seemed. He's known his friend has been miserable for months and the only brightness in his life was Rae, and now that he didn't have that anymore, Archie really couldn't see another reason for him to stay either.

There was nothing Archie could say. He knew Finn was leaving in the morning, end of.

Archie struggled to swallow the lump in his throat so he could say good-bye to his best friend.

"Well, you know I'm going to miss you, mate. I know that's not what you needed, but it's true."

"I know you will, Arch. And it means more than you could know, but I have to do this."

"I get it, Finn. I'm not going to stop you."

"Thanks."

There was a silence between the two that needn't be filled with words. They knew they were really going to miss each other, but they also knew this wasn't the last time they'd see each other.

"Look," Finn began. "I'll be back in a few weeks, once I get settled and figure out the lay of the land or whatever."

"I look forward to it."

Finn brought Archie in for a hug and buried his head in his friend's neck. They stood there, two kids on the precipice of adulthood trying to hang on to their childhood for as long as they could. When they broke apart, both quietly wiped tears from their eyes.

"Hey, uh, can you do me a favor?" Finn asked, clearing his throat.

"Anything."

"Can you just check on Rae for me? She was at some party in bloody Uffington last night with Chloe and those twats from the fair. I just want to make sure she's okay."

"Course. I'll head there after here."

"Thanks, Arch. Also, can you not tell her I'm leaving? I, uh, don't want her to know just yet."

Archie could see the ache in Finn's eyes and knew he wouldn't be asking if he didn't have his reasons.

"Course not, mate."

Finn smiled a thanks to his friend and said, "So, that's it."

"That's it. I guess I should say something like drive safe and don't pick up any hitchhikers or whatever."

The paid shared a laugh and then one more hug.

"See ya, Arch."

"Later, Finn."

And that was it. Archie left Finn to hang out with his dad and he made his way to Rae's. It was almost surreal walking away from the Nelson house. He'd spent almost as much time there as he did in his own. It was a weird feeling to know that he didn't know when he'd be back. Sure he could go hang out with Mr. Nelson anytime he wanted, but it just wouldn't be the same without Finn there. Especially without their eccentric banter about who knew the most about music. Even though it was so clearly Mr. Nelson, he'd never say so to Finn.

Despite the fact that he knew Finn was coming back in a few weeks, it made his heart ache to know that he wouldn't be able to walk into the pub tomorrow and see his friend's smiling face or hear him yell, "ARCHER!" at the top of his lungs cause he discovered a totally killer new song. He knew it was going to be hard without him around, but it really wasn't until he was walking away wasn't that he realized how hard it was actually going to be.


End file.
